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Letters
Senior Center article was timely, welcomed
Thank you for the informative article on the Saratoga Senior Center in the May 19 Saratoga News. I have been an active participant and often refer to it as my country club. The numerous activities have been worthwhile, and I treasure the friendships I have made there. We are fortunate to have such a fine center in our midst.
Louise Webb
Canyon View Drive
Opposition exists to fields at Foothill
The Saratoga News continues to report that there is no opposition to the development and improvement of the playfields at Foothill School. The city has said that residents surrounding the proposed sites would be invited to discussion groups in the various neighborhoods affected by the proposed improvements. We, on the south side of Foothill School have yet to be invited to such a meeting.
Yet, there is voting going on by the City Council, and the Saratoga News reports that there is little opposition from us. We are very much in opposition to any renovation of the Foothill playfield until such time that the traffic and parking problems are addressed and mitigated.
Apparently, the Saratoga News is unaware of this opposition from Foothill neighbors. Is that because our letter was not circulated to the council and our position not told to the Saratoga News reporter?
When are the small group discussions going to take place? Surely, someone from our neighborhood should have been invited. We have an older neighborhood and have no homeowner's association anymore. Does that make us less important or our opinions less significant?
Apparently so, since I have had no response from any member of the city staff or City Council.
Ellen S. Dwyer
Trinity Avenue
An open letter to dairy farmer Kenneth Peake
Dear Mr. Peake,
I called last night--May 20--wanting to come say goodbye. It wasn't until this morning at seven that Martha called to tell me that the angels had come to take you to your own heavenly dairy.
Please, never stop welcoming our children with your smile and soft voice to come see and feed the calves.
Please, never stop giving them cream to shake in their small jars until they found the ball of pure sun in their own jars.
Please, never stop letting us stand in your barn and sit on the bales of hay and listen to your stories of your cows that you called by name.
Please, never stop sharing your wisdom with all the apprentices that come from the Saratoga Community Garden.
Please, never stop walking down the road bringing your quarts of cream in the wire carrying containers for the strawberries on May Day.
Please, never stop delivering milk to our door in your old green truck.
We knew someday the angels would come and carry you away, but we have been blessed with family friendship for so long, beginning in your Berkeley days before you came to Saratoga. We remember when you bought your first cow and came to Willys' mother and asked her if she would be a customer. She was already taking two quarts from a dairy. So she took one quart from you and one quart from her old dairy.
Do you remember before your trip to England, how we used to talk about making your now small piece of land into a model productive farm where children could come visit again? We would dream of all that could be done to help people experience the beauty of life by being close to the richness of the earth. You never lost your dream.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude on every level to have known you. You have blessed our lives throughout all these years.
Willys and Betty Peck
Saratoga Avenue
Drivers need to slow down in town
Driving to my residence last Wednesday, I was almost killed on Saratoga Creek Drive at about 1:30 p.m. A driver in a white sport utility vehicle was barreling around the corner of Westview Drive, which dead-ends into Saratoga Creek Drive, at a high rate of speed.
I was not even 50 yards away from that corner, driving at 24 mph. The posted speed limit is 25 mph. Lucky for me I was alert, had my eyes fixed right on the road and saw this white vehicle coming around that corner so fast I could not think. So I slammed on the brakes and hit the horn. I barely missed him by inches. He stopped and yelled out, "I did not do anything to you!" and sped off.
I have had three heart attacks and of course, this almost threw me into another one! When I recovered myself, everything in my car flew up, my head jerked forward and I now have a whip-lashed neck. I tried to call the sheriff in three different numbers and everyone said there was no deputy there to talk to. I left a message for Capt. Bob Wilson.
After waiting 24 hours and no one returned my call, I appeared at the Sheriff's office in Saratoga. I asked for Mr. Wilson, and the receptionist's reply was that he was out and didn't know when he would return. I was so frustrated, I told her I would have a heart attack. She offered to call a paramedic, and a deputy appeared from around a corner and offered to listen to my problem. He promised that a deputy would come to my home that afternoon.
She did, and gave out seven speeding tickets in one hour.
I now have an appointment to see our traffic commissioner to seek a stop sign permit for the corner of Kosich Drive and Saratoga Creek Drive, and I'd also like a "25 mph" sign painted on the asphalt.
The fact that our sheriffs are so overburdened they cannot even return a call for help a day later says something is wrong. They tell me there is not enough money to hire another deputy to take care of all the calls, speeding is the number one problem!
Jeanne Holst
Kosich Court
Nick Streit wants to hear from citizens
Do we as Saratogans have the passion, desire and vision to be part of something great for all of Saratoga, for all our citizens, for generations to come? I believe we do and as your city councilman it is not only my desire but my duty to take another look at a vision the citizens of Saratoga had over three years ago.
So what am I talking about? In 1996 the Parks and Recreation Commission convened a community-wide workshop that a diverse group of citizens participated in. The goal of this workshop was to discuss the park development funds and how they should be spent. The consensus, number-one priority was a "Saratoga Central Hub." A Central Hub for all the residents of Saratoga to enjoy, included items such as a new community/senior/teen center, a renovated community theatre, a Heritage Orchard Central Park and so on. The possibilities are endless. A cultural place to see a play, watch our children dance and play ball, enable our seniors to learn the Internet, enjoy a good book or just have a quiet picnic under the Heritage Orchard trees. A central hub available to all the residents of Saratoga, without regard to any artificial boundaries.
This was how a group of citizens of Saratoga wanted to spend the park development funds! However, in 1997, the economics of the city caused the then-City Council to abandon this option and opt for another option on the list, additional playfields.
I believe today both the demographics of Saratoga and the financial condition of the city and its residents have changed. It's time we reevaluate the Saratoga Central Hub option and review the restrictions placed on the Parks and Rec Commission and the use of the funds regarding the playfields. I have asked my fellow councilmembers to place these items on our agenda for the City Council adjourned meeting on Tuesday, June 8.
We live in a fractured city, divided by numerous artificial boundaries. Our children attend 43 public schools in six school districts, numerous private schools, play in three little league districts. We are divided by two fire districts and two sanitation districts.
Now is our chance to bring all of Saratoga together under a common goal, a common place, to share with each other the beauty and community spirit that is unique to Saratoga. Join my fellow councilmembers and myself on June 8 and let us know if the central hub is your vision for Saratoga.
The Saratoga City Council is here to serve the people of Saratoga. It was you who placed us in office and it is your voice that makes the difference.
If you can't attend the meeting on June 8, please write to Saratoga City Council, 13777 Fruitvale Ave., Saratoga, CA. 95070, or email me at nstreit@cpa-online.com.
Your voice and opinion are important for all of Saratoga for generations to come.
Nick Streit
Saratoga City Council
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
